this is just a little gun control history. was cleaning out some of my old emails when i came across this one and thought i would post it. the Australian info. is especially interesting.

A LITTLE GUN HISTORY
>
> In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control.
> From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents,
> unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and
> exterminated.
>
> In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915
> to 1917,
>
> 5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves,
> were rounded up and exterminated.
>
> Germany established gun control in 1938 and from
> 1939 to 1945, a total of 13million Jews and others
> who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up
> and exterminated.
>
> China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to
> 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to
> defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated
>
> Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964
> to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend
> themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
>
> Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to
> 1979, 300,000 Christians,unable to defend
> themselves, were rounded up and?exterminated
>
> Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975
> to 1977, one million educated' people, unable to
> defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
>
> Defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in
> the 20th Century because of gun control: 56 million.
>
> It has now been 12 months since gun owners in
> Australia were forced by new law to surrender
> 640,381 personal firearms to be destroyed by their
> own government, a program costing Australia
> taxpayers more than $500 million dollars. The first
> year results are now in: List of 7 items:
>
>
> Australia-wide, homicides are up 32 percent
>
> Australia-wide, assaults are up 8.6 percent
> Australia-wide, armed robberies are up 44 percent
> (yes, 44 percent)!
>
> In the state of Victoria alone, homicides with
> firearms are now up 300 percent. Note that while the
> law-abiding citizens turned them in, the criminals
> did not, and criminals still possess their guns!
>
> While figures over the previous 25 years showed a
> steady decrease in armed robbery with firearms, this
> has changed drastically upward in?the past12 months,
> since criminals now are guaranteed that their prey
> is unarmed.
>
> There has also been a dramatic increase in break-ins
> and assaults of the ELDERLY. Australian politicians
> are at a loss to explain how public safety has
> decreased, after such monumental effort and
> expense?was expended in successfully ridding
> Australian society of guns. The Australian
> experience and the other historical facts above
> prove it.
>
>
> You won't see this data on the US evening news, or
> hear politicians disseminating this information.
>
> Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and
> property and, yes,gun-control laws adversely affect
> only the law-abiding citizens.
>
> Take note my fellow Americans, before it's too late!
> The next time someone talks in favor of gun control,
> please remind them of this history lesson.
>
> With guns, we are 'citizens'. Without them, we are
> 'subjects'.
>
> During WWII the Japanese decided not to invade
> America because they knew most Americans were ARMED!
>
> If you value your freedom, Please spread this
> anti-gun control message to all of your friends.

Nice find. I frequently use the Austalian statistics to my "gun hater" co-workers and friends. As the saying goes... "If you outlaw guns... only outlaws will have guns."

I much prefer to remain a citizen and not a statistic.

My favorite gun argument that I can remember is when one of the heads of the BSA was confronted about the shooting programs used by the boy scouts. This woman began a verbal assault on him from out of no where and it went something like this:

Woman: You do realize you are equipping these young men to be murderers and felons don't you?

BSA Rep: Ma'am, you're equipped to be a prostitute. Are you?

Greatest rebuttal I've ever heard!

My favorite gun argument that I can remember is when one of the heads of the BSA was confronted about the shooting programs used by the boy scouts. This woman began a verbal assault on him from out of no where and it went something like this:

Woman: You do realize you are equipping these young men to be murderers and felons don't you?

BSA Rep: Ma'am, you're equipped to be a prostitute. Are you?

Greatest rebuttal I've ever heard!

It doesn't get much better than that.

haven't seen that one. good find

Good find!